Can-sorting machine



0d. 7 1924. mmm@ C. H. WILD CAN SORTING MACHINE Oct. 7 i924. Ll@

c. H. WILD CAN SORT ING MACHI NE' Filed Deo. lO, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2C. H WILD CAN SORTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed Dec. lO 1923 Uct. 71924. www@ C. H. WILD CAN SORTING' MACH I NE Filed Dec. O. 1923 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Snom/1% ofc wif @5552 SH01 n.944

Patented Oct. 7, 1.924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. WILD, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO BUBT MACHINE COH-PANY, INCORPORATED,` .A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

CAN-SORTING- MACHINE.

Application filed December 10, 1923. Serial No. 679,880.

To all 'whom t 'may comem:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. WILD, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residin in the city of Baltimore, State of Mary and, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Sorting- Machines,of which the following is a specilication.

The invention relates to can labelling machines, or more particularly tomachines for handling or conveying labelled or wrapped cans, thefunction or purpose of the device of the present invention being todetect' and discard cans which have been missed in the labellingorwrapping operation.

In every lot of labelled cans there are apt to be a few cans which havebeen missed in this way and come through the machine without the labelor wrapper, so that there is nothing to indicate the nature, origin,etc. of the contents. In this condition they are not acceptable to theretailer or to the consiuner, and must be detected and removed in orderthat the product may be one hundred per cent perfect and acceptable.

In many large canneries the cans are packed in cartons or boxes byautomatic or semi-automatic machinery under conditions which makedetection and separation of the 3o unwrap-ped cans during the packingoperation so difficult as to necessitate the employment of additionalhelp to sort the cans and remove those which are unlabelled or partiallylabelled.

The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic detectingand sorting device whereby the unlabelled or unwrapped cans are locatedand rejected, dispensing with the. necessity for inspecting or handlingthe cans by human agenc for this purpose. This device nia be in t enature of an attachment to a laheller or wrapper, or it may be aseparate machine inserted in any convenient point in the conveyorDescribed in general terms, the device consists of a runway for thecans, a portion of the runway being mounted to yield to the weight ofthe cans or otherwise to open and release the cans, the movable portionof the runway being normally locked in position to support the cans andpass them forward in the direction of the feed, the

apparatus also including electrical means for releasing said lock, thecircuit of Said electrical means being normally open and having spacedcontact members in the path of the ca ns, whicih contact members are.

for feeding the cans and holding them in' close contact with the waysand contact fingers, and making the operation of the machine positive.

In the accompanying drawingI have illustrated a detecting apparatusembodyin features of my invention in the preferred form. In the drawingFigure 1 is an elevation of the detector shown as an attachment to a canlabelling machine, the view being taken from the side of the machine..

Figure 2 is a plan of the same.

Figure .3 is an elevation, taken from the side of the machine oppositeto Fi e 1.

Figure 4 is atransverse section ta en on the line 4,4 of Figure 2. l

Figure 5 is a section through the frame of the machine on the line 5, 5of Figure 2, showing the latch controlling the -movable portion of theways, said movable portion,

and the electrical element for releasing said latch.

Figure 6 is an elevation showing the stationary detector spring arm andstop.

Figure 7 is a plan of the detector feed and presser belt and pulleys,the drive pulley for the same and a port-ion of the Figure 9 is a planof one end of the detector feed belt pulley shaft, and

Figure 10 is a section through said shaft on the line 10, 10 of Figure 9illustrating the manner of locking said shaft in adjusted position.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, each of which is used to indicatethe same or similar parts in the diierent figures, i'

have illustrated the detecting attachn'ient or detector of the inventionas supported upon the delivery end of a can labelling machine 1 andextending forwardly therefrom in the direction in which the cans arefed.

rlhe illustration in Figure 1 includes a fragment of the can feed belt 2of the labeller, and the can feed belt pulley 3 which carries thelabeller feed belt 2. The can feed and presser belt 4 of the detectormechanism is ydriven by and from a pulley 5. which is in turn drivenfrom the can feed belt 2 of. the labeller, the pulley 5 being shown inthe drawing as secured to a shaft 6, to which the pulley 3 carrying thecan feed belt is likewise secured, it being obvious that the drivingconnection referred to may be made to equal advantage in various ways.

'llhe detector feed and presser belt 4 is led from drive pulley 5 overpresser belt pulley 8 mounted in an adjustable bracket 9 known as thepresser belt pulley bracket. rlhis bracket 9 is carried on a stud 10mounted for vertical adjustment in a boss 12 on the detector frame', thestud 10 being provided with a series of spaced holes 13 to be engaged bya pin or screw 14 passed through a corresponding hole in the boss 12.The adjustment provides for a considerable variation as to the diameterof the cans handled by the detector. The bracket 9 further providesmeans for applying tension to the belt 4 and pressure to the cans. lnthe present instance, as illustrated, this means is in the form ofgravity controlled ao'encies consisting of twoN pulleys 16 and 1engaging the lower span 0f the belt 4 from above, as indicated, atspaced points of contact, the can engaging elements of the detector, i.e., the detector fingers and the movable portions of the ways to bedescribed, being beneath the portion of the belt 4 between the saidpoints ofcontact, the function of the belt 4 being not only to provide auniform feed of the cans, in some instances checking their speed as theyroll down the inclined ways, but to hold them in close cont-act with thedetector mechanism and to apply a downward pressure which will insurethe discharge of detected cans, preventing displacement and bouncing ofthe cans, giving goo-d contact and overcoming the resistance of theparts.

The pulley 16, it being understood that both pulleys 16 and 17 are inthe nature of idlers or tension pulleys, is mounted to rotate on a stud18, which stud is seated in the nemers swinging end of an arm 19 ofcomparatively heavy construction and of considerable length. lhis arm ispivoted on thc presser belt shaft 20, which carries the presser beltpulley 8 already described, and which is in turn mounted in a boss 2201ithe bracket 9. The other tension pulley 17 is mounted en a stud 23carried in the end of a swinging arm 24, also mounted at its oppositeend on the Shaft 20 to swing about the same, the swinging end of theshaft 24 being enlarged or weighted as shown to increase the tensionapplied to the belt, the entra length of the arm 19 giving suilicientweight and pressure to be applied by the pulley 16. Both arms 19 and 24swing downward by gravity, applying pressure to the belt. The spacing ofthe pulleys 16 and 17 results from the difference in length of the arms19 and 24, the arm 19 being the shorter.

To prevent bumping and undue resistance to the advance of the cans bythe portion of the belt beneath the pulley 16, in case the belt 4 shouldstre-tch, unduly, lowering the position of the pulley 16, l have shown astop surface 26 on the bracket 9 and a stop screw 27 seated in the arm19 and adjustable to determine the bottom position of the arm.

The detecting apparatus further comprises ways 30 mounted in detectorframe 31, which frame in the form of the invention shown is supported onthe delivery end of the labeller frame, the detector frame beingsupported on spaced brackets 32 projecting from the labeller frame andsecured thereto in any suitable manner.

lln the preferred construction shown the detector frame is secured tothe brackets 32 by means of a transverse shaft 33 which passes throughthe brackets 32 near the end of the labcller and through thelongitudinal members 35, 35 of the detector frame. The detector frame ismounted on the shaft 33 to swing vertically and is supported in theposition shown by means of a transverse pin 37 passed through thebrackets 32 at the extremo outer ends thereof and through registeringholes in the longitudinal members 35 of the detector frame. When thepin-37 is withdrawn the detector frame swings downward into a dependingor vertical position, reducing` the space occupied by the combinedlabeller and detector.

Normally, that is, in the operative position of the detector, the waysV30 are inclined downwardly and forwardly in the direction of the feed,so that the cans tend to roll through the detector in the direction ofthe labeller feed even in the absence of the feeding motion imparted tothem by the belt 4, which by means of the adjustment 10, 12, 13 and 14described, is spaced above the ways by a distance slightly less than thediameter of the cans being handled. Near the center of the detector waysand space 38. These hing beneath the span of the feed belt between thepulle s 16 and 17, the ways 30 are discontinue for a space of severalinches indicated b reference character 38, the space being s cient toprovide for the downward passage throughv the ways of cans of the testdiameter intended to be treated in e machine inquestion. The space 38thus formed is spanned by hinged supports or bridges 40, one for each wanormally in alignment with the wa s an bridging the supports or bridges40 are shown in transverse cross-section in Fi re 4 and in plan in Fi re2.

ach bridge member 40 is in the form of a plate preferably of a width andthickness corresponding to the ways. Each brid e member 40 is providedwith ears 41 outsi e the line of the ways, the said lears beingapertured in alignment to receive a hinge f pin 42, one -for each brid emember passing ongitudinally through oth ears. There are also ears 44projectin fromthe frame on each side and aperture to receive the pins 42whereby the bridge meiiibers are pivot-l ally mounted on the detectorframe. The

shaft orpin 42 is preferably secured in theears 44 as ,by set screw 43.A coil s ring 45 encircles will pin 42, being secure at one end to thepin which is stationary and bearing at the other end against thecorresponding bridge member 40, tendin to maintain them normally inhorizonta position as shown in Figure 4. lIn this figure it willalso benoted that the detector frame members 35 are a ertured at 47 on eachside to permit the bridge members to swing through the frame about thepins 42, and that the top edge 48 of this opening serves as a stop todetermine the upper or horizontal position of the brid e members inwhich they are normally held by the springs 45.

Normally the bridge members 40 are locked in position in ali ent withthe ways, so that the perfectly la elled or wrapped cans pass along theways and over ythe bridge members without interruption, the "presence ofthe detectin apparatus having no efect onv these cans ot er than addinga few inches to the length of the path they travel in passingthroughwptlie apparatus. When an unwrapped or unlabe ed can enters thedetec- 'tor, however, it completes the electric cirklatch to whichreferencelias been made, consists of a detent 50 n each of the bridgemembers, which detents are shown as inte-A al with the ears 41 and eachdetent lpro- ]ecting from the ear oppositely to the coi'- respondingbridge member as illustrated in A:Figure-5. This detent 50 has a flatengaging surface 51 disposed in the direction of the turning momentapplied to vthe bridge' member by the weight of the cans 60, saidturning moment being taken about the hinge pins 42, and this fiatengaging surface is normally engaged by an oppositely disposed Hatengaging surface 52 on the pivoted latch member 53, the said pivotedlatch member 53 being pivotally mounted on the detector frame b means ofa in 54 passing through the latc member and through ears 55 proj ectingfrom the frame. As shown the latch member 53 is in the form( of a bellcrank having two arms Substantially at right angles to each other,comprising an upright arm 56 from which the engaging surface 52 pro]ectsat right angles, and a horizontal arm 57 which carries an armature 58which co-operates with an electromagnet 59 supported on the frame andnormally spaced from the magnet by a short interval corresponding to thethrow of the latch, i. e., the motion of the swinging latch lever 53required to move the engaging surfaces out of contact and release thelatch.

From the description immediately foregoing, it will be apparent thatwhen the electromagnet 59 is energized, drawing the armature 58 intocontact therewith, that the engaging surfaces 52, 51 will be thrown outof contact, releasing `the bridge members 'which are normally rigidlysupported b ,The weight of the can or this weight plus the -pressure ofbelt 4 on the contrary is sufficient toturn the bridge members downwardto vertical position, in which position the can is released anddiscarded, being disposed of or separately retained in any suitablemanner as hereinafter described.

As soon as the can has passed out of contact with the lbridge members,the springs 45 swing them backward toward normal position. By referenceto Figure 5 it will be apparent that in releasing the can, the detent 50shown therein is swung upward in lefthanded rotation, and that when thecan is released, it will swing backward in righthanded rotation, thecorresponding members on the opposite side of the machine moveoppositely.

It will also be apparent from vexamination of Figure 2 that the contactmembers 130 or ngers 61, 61, already referred Jo, terminate near therear end of the bridge memibers, i. e., the end first encountered by thecans as fed, so that the can is out of contact with these members andythelatch control ling circuit is broken prior to the return of thebridge members to normal or supporting position.

Under these circumstances the swinging latch member 53, propelled by theexceedingly light spring 62, will have returned to normal position priorto the returnof'the bridge member and latch, wherefore the curved rearsurfaces 63 of the detent and 64 of the/latch will come into contact,and the spring 45, being sufficient to. overcome the spring 62, willforce the swinging latch 53 baclnvar'd, causing these surfaces to passand permitting the latch to re-engage as shown in Figure 5.

The contact fingers referred to consist of -two rods or wires 6l, seeFigures 2 and Ll,

K which rods form spaced terminals of the electric circuit to bedescribed. These fingers normally lie between and slightly above theways, as shown in Figures 1, 2. 3 and 4. These fingers are furtherpivotally mounted at their rear ends and spring supported in the normalposition in which they are shown in the figures referred to, to giveuniform contact with the exposed metal surface of the unlabelled cans.'llhe forward ends 66 of the lingers are curved upward into the path ofthe cans and the forward portion is turned in the direction of the waysto extend the path of contact with the cans.

rlhe springs which support the fingers not only permit the fingers toyield so that the cans rest on the ways during contact of the fingerswith the cans, but permit the fingers to further yield and swingdownwardly in response to the pressure of the detected cans whenreleased and dropped from the ways, but in the form of the inventionshown this additional yieldin as the cans `are dropped is limited as thengers extend but a short distance into the path followed by the detectedcans as they are dropped.

Having more specific reference to the structure illustrated, there arefour collars or two pairs of collars comprising part of the detectorfinger mechanism mounted on the shaft 33. Two of these collars 68, 68are non-rotatably secured to the shaft 33 which is in turn clampedwithin the bracket 32 by a set screw 69, see Figure 1. rllhese collars68 are in the form of the invention shown secured to the shaft by setscrews 70, and each of these collars 68 is provided with a projectingspring arm 71 extending downward and forward in the direction of thefeed, and a stop member 73 spaced upwardly from the arm by an arc ofabout 60. The collars of the other pair tercera lars 74, is alsoprovided with a radially projecting boss 79, 80, each said boss having aradially extending aperture to receive the end of the correspondingfinger V61, 61. The boss of the collar 75 differs, however, from theboss 79 of the collar 74C in that the aperture 81 therein is enlarged sothat it considerably exceeds the diameter of the end of the finger rod61, the excess space being occupied by an insulating sleeve or thimble82 of hard rubber or other suitable insulating material. While bothfingers may be thus insulated, the insulation of one finger 61 only isnecessary.

llt will be apparent that the tension of the springs 78 tends to rotateeach finger upwardly or in a righthanded direction about the shaft 33,as seen in Figure 1, bringing the bosses 79, 80 each into contact withthe corresponding stops 73, holding the detector fin ers in the normalposition illustrated in hgigure l.

'llhe detector circult which operates the bridge latch described andillustrated, particularly in Figure 5, comprises any suitable source ofelectricity 80 shown in the form of a battery. ln accordance with theillustration the lplus terminal of the battery 81 is connected by a wire82 to one of the detector fingers. In the illustration the plus terminal81 is connected by the wire 82 to the insulated finger 61. The minusterminal 83 of the battery is as shown connected by wires 84 to one endof the coil of each magnet 59, the other end of leach magnet coil beinconnected by wire 85 to the other detector nger 61. rll`he fingers 61,61 form terminals of the circuit which are normally out of contact, thecircuit shown beinginormally o en.

lt wil be appa-rent that with the mechanism described, the wrapped orlabeled cans may be passed along the ways over the detector fingers anddelivered in the usual manner, the bridge members spanning the openings38 in the ways, remaining locked in position, the wrapper or labelserving as insulation, which prevents the fingers 61, 61 from becomingelectrically connected as the cans pass over them, but when and if anunwrapped or unlabelled can is passed along the ways, the contact of thetwo fingers with the metal walls of the can serves to complete thecircuit which is normally broken at the fingers by the spacing of thengers and the insulation 82 in the boss 80, insulating the finger 61from the llO A'frame iof the machine. Under these circumstances themagnets 59 are energized, the latchis released, the bridge members 40swing downward impelled by the weight of the can or by the weight of thecan plus the pressure of the belt 4, to which the sprmgs '.45 yield,andthe can is dropped. As soon as ythe can asses the fingers, theelectrical connection 1s broken, the -swinging latch 53 .is released andreturnsl to normal osltion, and as soon as the can is droppe the brid es40 are likewise -returned to normal osition by the splrings which aresufciently strong, t e springs 62 being also suliciently lig t to permitthe curved survfaces 63, 64 to pass impelled by spring 45,

returning the latch surfaces 51 and 52 to engaging position vas shown inFlgure 5.

The belt 4, while it assists in feeding the cans through the detectormechanism, checking undue speed of the cans in rolling down the ways,also serves the important function of maintaining uniform contact of thecans with the detector fingers 61, givin a good electrical connectionserving to e .ect a positive release of the latches supportlng thebridge members Whenever an unlabelled or unwrapped can passes along theways, It also serves to press the cans uniformly in contact with thebridge members, overcoming the resistance of the spring 45 and openingthe brid e 'members whenthe latch .1s released, so t at the actuation ofthe parts need not be dependent upon the weight of the cans, the beltbeing in a way an equaliz- .ing agency, giving uniformity anddependability of operation.

Beneath thedetector ways 30 and particularly beneath the discard opening38 and the bridges 40, I have shown a second set of ways known asdiscard ways 87 on to which the cans are dropped by the bridge memberswhen released and by which they may be delivered to any suitablereceptacle.

I have described an adjustment of the pulleys 8, 16 and 17 or rathervofbracket 9 carrying these. ulleys toward and from the ways to provi efor` handling cans of different diameters. The device also includes aprovision for adjusting ,the detector frame members 35 laterally toprovide for the accommodation'. of cans of various lengths. It will benoted by examination of Figures 1 and 2 that these side frame membersare spaced and held in their relation to each other by transverse rods90 pinned or otherwise permanently secured at one end in one framemember by means of a pin 91 passing through the rod 90 and boss 92 onthe frame purposes of the said adjustment, the frame members being movedback and forth and the pins placed in the corresponding holes toaccommodate cans ofvarious lengths.

It will likewise be observed that the collars 68 which control theposition of the collars 74 and 75, carrying the detector lingers, arelikewise capable of lateral adjustment,

and that the shaft 20, see Figure 7, car ing the pulley 8 and the levers19 and'24, w ich in turn carry thepulleys 16 and 17, is adjustablelaterally, i. e., in the direction of the length of the shaft in theboss 22 on the bracket 9, the boss being slotted at 97 to admit slotte-dlock washer 96 which engages circular grooves 98 in the shaft, seeFigure 9, the engagement of the lock washer with the grooves 98 and theslot 97 serving to hold the shaft in adjusted position, and the spacingof the grooves 98 giving a series of positions of adjustment. Thisadjustment provides for suitable alignment of the4 belt aol with thecenters of the cans in the various f positions of the side frames 35, itbeing apparent that the pulley 5 which drives this belt, see Figure 1,may be likewise adjusted along the shaft 6.

The operation of said adjustments and the relation of the same to-thesizes of the cans being handled, have beenv fully explained.

I have thus described specifically and'in detail a single embodiment ofmy invention in order that the nature and operation of the same may beclearly understood, however, the specific terms herein are useddescriptively rather than in their limiting sense, the scope of theinvention being defined in the claims. Y

What Il claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. In a sorting apparatus for detectin and. discarding unwrapped orunlabelle cans, ways along which the cans may be passed, said ways beingdiscontinued at an intermediate point for a space exceedn the diameterof the cans being handle movable means for bridging said space, meansfor supporting said bridging means in position to span thel opening inthe ways and carry thev cans across said opening, an means actuated bythe passage o1?v an unwrapped or unlabelled can for removing the supportfor said bridging means, releasing the same and dropping the can fromthe ways through said opening.

2. In a can sorting machine for discarding unwrapped or nlabelledcans,ways for the cans. said ways. being discontinued intermediately,vforming a space through which the cans may pass after having traverseda part `ing said opening,

cluding a circuit having spaced terminals in the path of the canswhereby each unlabelled or unwrapped can as it passes changes thecircuit, releasing the latch and removing the support from the bridgingmeans, permitting the latter to be displaced diverting the can from theways.

3. ln a machine for sorting wrapped or labelled cans, ways along whichthe cans may be passed, said ways aving an opening through which thecans may be released from the ways intermediate of the length of theways, movable 'means normally closrneans supporting said closing meansin closed position, spanning the opening and confining the cans to theways, electrical means controllingr said closing means including acircuit having circuit changes means extending'into thel path of thecans whereby the unwrapped cans as they pass change the condition of thecircuit, releasing the supporting means and the said closing means`causing the said unwrapped or unlabelled cans to be diverted from theways.

4. In a sorting apparatus for handling wrapped or labelled cans andseparating unwrapped or unlabelled cans therefrom, ways for the canshaving an opening intermediate their length for releasing part of thecans, diverting them from the ways, bridgingl means for spanning saidopening, means tending to maitnain said bridging means in positionspannng said opening, a, latch normally locking said bridging` means inspanning position, electrical means controlling said latch including acircuit, and circuit controlling means extending into the path of thecans whereby some of the cans in passing change the condition of thecircuit, releasing said latch, permitting the said cans to displace'thebridging means whereby they pass through the said opening and arediverted from the ways.

5. The combination with a can labelling machine of can detectormechanism having a runway, means pivotally supporting 4the runway on theend of the can labeller, and means in addition to said pivot forsupporting the detector runway in operative position. said latter meansbeing removable` permitting the detector to swing downward intodepending position. j

6. ln a machine for sorting wrapped or labelled cans, ways along whichthe cans maybe passed, said passage having a delivery and a discardopening, movable means normally bridging said opening, means normallylocking said bridging means in post tion to bridge the opening,electrical means controlling said lock, said electrical means inclu-dinga circuit having circuit changing means extending into the path of thecans whereby the unwrapped cans as they pass change the conditionof thecircuit, releasmaceta ing the bridging means, causing the said unwrappedor`unlabelled cans to be admitted to the discard opening.

lln a sorting apparatus for sortinfv Wrapped or labelled cans anddetecting and removing unwrapped or unlabelled cans, ways along whichthe cans may be passed, a discard opening leading from the ways, meansbridging said opening and movable to and from bridging position,electrical means controlling said bridging means, said electrical meansincluding. a circuit with circuit changing means in the path of the cansadapted to be actuated by the unwrapped cans to actuate said control andrelease the unwrapped can.

8. ln a sorting apparatus for sorting wrappedY or labelled cans anddetecting and 'discarding unwrapped or unlabelled cans,

Ways along which the cans may be passed. a discard opening leading fromthe ways, means normally bridging said opening and movable to and frombridging position, means `:tor locking said bridging means in bridgingposition, and electrical means controlling said lock, said electricalmeans including a normally open circuit having spaced terminals in thepath of the cans whereby the circuit is closed by each unwrapped orunlabelled can as it passes, actuatlngsaid control an-d releasing thecan.

9. ln a sorting apparatus' for sorting wrapped and labelled cans, anddetecting and discarding unwrapped or unlabelled cans, ways along whichthe cans may be passed, a discard opening leading from the ways, meansclosing said opening and movable to and from closed position,l andelectrical means controlling said closing means, said electrical meansincluding a normally open circuit and spaced terminals in the path ofthe cans whereby the circuit is made by the unwrapped cans as they pass,and means for pressing the cans against and holding them in Contact withsaid terminals.

10. lin a sorting apparatus for sorting Wrapped and labelled cans, anddetecting and discarding unwrapped or unlabelled cans. ways along whichthe cans may be passed, a discard opening leading from the ways, meansclosing said opening and inovable to and from closed position, andelectrical means .controlling said closing means, said electrical meansincluding a normally open circuit. having spaced terminals in the pathof the cans whereby t-he circuit is made by the unwrapped cans as theypass, and means for pressing the cans against and holding them incontact with said terminals and assisting in the operation of saidbridgmg means.

11. In a sorting: apparatus for detecting and discarding unwrapped orunlabelled cans, ways along which the cans may be passed, a discardopening leading from the ,ways, means bridging said opening, electricalmeans controlling said bridging means, said electrical means including acircuit and circuit changin means in the path of the cans whereby t ecircuit is changed by the unwrapped cans as they pass, and means forpressing the cans downward and holding them in contact with saidterminals and said bridging means, said pressing means being in the formof a belt, means for driving said belt, and gravity actuated meansincluding a pulle pressing downward upon said belt.

12. n a sorting apparatus for detecting and discarding unwrapped orunlabelled cans, ways along which the cans may be passed, a discardopening leading from the ways, means bridging said opening and movableto and from bridging positiomand elec- Atrical means controllingy saidbridging means, said electrical means including a circuit and circuitchanging means adjacent the path ofthe cans whereby the circuit ischanged by the unwrapped cans as they pass, and means for pressing thecans downward and holding them in cont-act with said terminals and saidbridging means, said pressing means being in the form of a belt, meansfor' driving said belt, and gravity actuated means including a pluralityof pulleys pressing downward upon said belt at points spaced apart andspanningthe electric terminals and the bridging means.

13. In a can detector, ways having a discard opening, bridging meansnormally closing the discard opening, a hinge Jfor said bridging means,a spring tending to swing the bridging means into alignment with theways to support the cans over the discard opening, a detent on saidbridging means, a latchnormally engaging said det/ent, a spring holdingsaid latch in engagement with said detent whereby the bridging member islocked in bridging position, an electromagnet adjacent said ,swinginglatch member, the latter having' a por-tion adapted to 4be attracted bysaid magnet, a circuit including a source of electricity connected tosaid electromagnet, and a plurality of spaced terminals in said circuitat which -said circuit is normally broken, said-terminals bein in thepath of the cans adjacent said iscard opening whereby unwrapped orunlabelled cans as they pass engage said terminals, closing the circuitand to and from bridging position, electrical`4 means controlling saidbrldging means, said electrical means including a circuit withf circuitchangin means in the path of the cans adapted to actuated vby theunwrapped cans, a belt over the ways'for pressing the cans downwardagainst the ways and holding them in contact with the circuit changingmeans, and the bridging means, means providing for adjustment of thebelt toward and from the ways to provide for handling cans of varyingdiameters.

15. In a sorting apparatus for detecting and removing unwrapped orunlabelled cans, waysv along which the cans may be passed, a discardopening leading from the -ways, means bridging said opening and movabletok and from bridging position, electrical means controlling saidbridging means. said electrical means includin a circuit with circuitchanging means in t e path ofthe cans adapted to be actuated by theunwrapped cans,va belt over the ways for pressing the cans downwardagainst the ways and holding them in contact with the circuit changingmeans, and the bridging means, means providing for adjustment of saidbelt toward and from the ways to provide for handling cans of varyingdiameters, and means providing for adjustment of one of the ways towardand from the other to provide for handling cans of different lengths.

l'16. In a sorting apparatus for detecting and removing unwrapped orunlabelled cans, ways along which the cans may be passed, a discardopening leading from the ways, means bridging said opening and movableto and from bridging position, electrical means controlling saidbridging means, said electrical means including a circuit with circuitchanging means in the path of the cans adapted to be actuated by the unwrapped cansa belt over the ways for pressing the cans downward againstthe ways and holding them in contact with the circuit changing means,and the bridging means, and means providing for adjustment of thebeltlaterally and for adjustment of one of the ways toward and from theways to provide for handling cans of varying diameters, and meansproviding for adjustment of one yof the ways toward `and from the otherto provide for handling cans of different lengths. v

17. In a sorting apparatus for detecting and removing unwrapped orunlabelled cans, ways along which the cans may be passed, a discardopening leading from the ways,

means bridging said opening and movable in a plurality of positions toprovide for lateral adjustment thereof, and permit the handling of cansof different lengths'.

1S. l'n a sorting apparatus for detecting and sorting unwrapped orunlabelled cans, and separating them from the wrapped cans, ways alongwhich the cans may be passed, a discard .opening leading from the ways,

' means normally bridging said opening movable to and from bridgingposition, electrical means controlling said bridging means, saidelectrical means including spaced terminals in the path of the canswhereby the circuit is made by the unwrapped and unlabelled cans as theypass, said terminals being in the form of fingers between the ways andprojecting along the ways, said lingers being pivot-ally mounted toswing downward, yielding means tending to main-- tain the fingers in thepath of the cans and permitting them to swing downwardly in V responseto the pressure of the cans.

being in the form of fingers between thev ways and projecting along theways, said fingers being pivotally mounted to swing downward, yieldingmeans tending to maintain the fingers in the path of the cans andpermitting them to swing downwardly in response to the pressure of thecans, one

Letonia of said fingers being insulated from the frame of the machine.

20. lin a machine tor sorting wrapped or labelled cans, ways along whichthe cans may be passed, said passage having a delivery and a discardopening, movable means normally bridging said opening, means normallylocking said bridglng means in position to bridge the opening,electrical means controlling said lock, said electrical means includinga circuit having circuit changing means extending into the path of thecans whereby the unwrapped cans as they pass change the condition of thecircuit, releasing the bridging means, causing the said unwrapped orunlabelledcans to beadmitted to the discard opening, means forsupporting one of the ways in a plurality ot positions providing torlateral adjustment 'thereof to accommodate cans of di'erent lengths.

2l. ln an apparatus for sorting wrapped or labelled cans, and detectingand removing unwrapped or unlabelled cans, ways along which the cans maybe passed, a passage leading from the ways, means for closing saidpassage movable to andI from closed position, electrical meanscontrolling said closing means, said electrical means including acircuit with circuit-changing means in the path of the cans adapted tobe actuated by the unwrappe'd cans to move said closing means, and meansfor pressing the cans into close engagement with said circuit-changingmeans.

Signed by meat Baltimore, Maryland, this th day of November, 1923.

` Cllr/twill@SV H. lWlLD.

Witnesses:

CHAs. H. yl 1 Gr. M. Ansmann.

